Field of the Invention
Recent entomological studies indicate that ground termites have highly developed sensory glands and radarlike antennas or other detecting devices which enable them to seek out and attack wood by a direct route.
Experience has shown that ground termites generally attack loadbearing walls or other structural walls in order to gain access to interior wood. Strangely enough, the termite will make his way through hollow tile or brick in order to achieve his mark in the most direct manner. Termites construct tunnels through fissures in the building materials which quickly fill with moisture required to sustain insect life. By means of these tunnels, they gain access to adjoining wood structures. Experimental observation indicates that termites secrete an acid which tends to break down concrete at such points as construction joints, slab separation, hairlike cracks and openings which the termites continue to enlarge until a tunnel through the joint or separation is completed. Once access to the wood is gained, the termite can being extensive and costly damage to wood. At the present time, a standard treatment for termites is to drill holes along both sides of all foundation and other walls followed by the injection of insecticide into the holes. This causes saturation of the soil around the foundation with the intended result of repelling termites. In effect, this type of treatment lays down a toxic barrier between the entire house which does not necessarily kill termites but discourages them from gaining access to the structure. Although this process is used with some success, the benefits of a treatment are not permanent and periodic rejuvination of such chemicals is necessary to maintain protection.
In the construction of new buildings or other structures, exterminators are frequently called upon to permeate a foundation slab ground surface with suitable chemicals prior to the pouring of slab concrete. This process also creates a toxic barrier repelling termites from a course under the building. The chemicals are absorbed by the ground around the foundation walls for protection of the entire foundation structure. However, this preconstruction treatment also has its effectiveness terminated after a few years.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,248, issued Aug. 31, 1971, the present inventor discloses a process of controlling termite infestation by providing a piping system under the foundation which infuses insecticide in the ground surrounding the foundation at predetermined intervals after the structure has been completed. Slots or apertures are formed in the piping so that the insecticide can flow into the ground along the pipe. Typically, the floor plan of the structure is utilized so that the piping is laid along all wall lines and posts, all plumbing and waterline laterals, and any structural section which is expected to include a wood floor at a future time. The piping system is laid before the concrete slab is poured. While this patented system has proven successful, existing buildings or structures cannot utilize this system after the concrete slab has been formed and thus control of termites must be accomplished by the expensive and time consuming method of drilling a plurality of holes along the foundation.
The present invention relates to a process of installing a pipe system under an existing building constructed upon a concrete slab or other foundation not permitting access beneath the ground floor, for the purpose of periodic introduction of insecticide to control or eradicate subterranean termites or other such pests. Once the pipe system is installed, it is essentially that described by the termite control system of the aforementioned patent.